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The Obama-mercial

October 29, 2008 8:03 AM

Tonight on Fox, NBC, CBS, Univision, MSNBC, BET and elsewhere (but not ABC -- feel free to check out the new season of "Pushing Daisies"!), Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., will air the first presidential candidate 30-minute infomercial ever since H. Ross Perot took to the airwaves with his famous charts in 1992.

Sources tell ABC News that the flag-festooned 30 minutes will show Obama sitting around a white kitchen table with four people/families he's met in the last 21 months of his campaign, each illustrating an economic challenge the nation is facing. He'll also share his personal story about his mother's death from ovarian cancer, how she spent her last days arguing with her insurance company about whether or not her cancer was a "pre-existing condition," a story he often tells on the campaign trail.

Other more prominent Americans will appear to "validate" Obama -- like Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.), for instance, though I have no idea if Powell is actually in the film.

At the end, Obama will appear live from Sunrise, Fla., to speak directly to the American people from a rally.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has launched a TV ad to pre-emptively attack Obama's ad.

"Behind the fancy speeches, grand promises and TV special, lies the truth," the narrator says. "With crises at home and abroad, Barack Obama lacks the experience America needs."

Obama, for his part, is also running an ad to attack McCain, attempting to use his own words, and his own running mate, against him.

Among the quotes: “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues.  I still need to be educated" and “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should" and “I might have to rely on a vice president that I select” for expertise on economic issues ... cut to image of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Six days left. Tick tock, tick tock.

- jpt

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (634)

User Comments

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Brainwashed - follow the leader because you guys are definitely not leaders ...followers.

Scary- reminds me of lemmings that run for no reason...right off the cliff.

Scary

Posted by: Change2pennies | Nov 4, 2008 6:56:45 PM

Most people making over 200,000 a year knows how to get around a 4% tax increase

Posted by: JC | Nov 3, 2008 9:03:46 AM

atomheartmother1 Break you "deserve"? Just what is it you think you "Deserve"? Non of us "Deserve" anything we dont work for. Fairness and a right to make your own way? Yes, of course? Free money becuase you "struggle"? "NO". I've struggled for years and am finally getting ahead, now you want a what I have "struggled" hard to earn? Here's something to consider:
**YOU DO NOT DESERVE WHAT I HAVE EARNED**

Posted by: MNgrower | Oct 31, 2008 5:59:58 PM

Capitalism is my Uncle. He started as a child working a newspaper route for the local paper. He retired as the CEO.
Socialism is taking his hard earned money and giving it to someone who was too lazy to do the same thing. I am middle class. Will probably always be, but I will not take the hard earned money away from others to use for myself.

Posted by: Jen | Oct 31, 2008 10:46:38 AM

I watched this commercial on-line as missed it last night due to forgetting that 8:00 ET and I'm on CT-(WI). He talked about his plans in a posative way and his pick of 4 different families facing issues I face everyday were heartfelt and REAL.
He did not mention McCain or Palin nor made any attempt to smear them or their policies-period. Obama talked about what what he wants to do, when he wants to do it and talks about what we can do to fix what is wrong in America right NOW and HOW to get the ball rolling, right NOW!!
Barack Obama is a man of great character, strength, decency and seems to genuinely care about the people in this country who have been "stomped on" long enough. People like me and my husband who are 45 and 50, worked all our lives and have to live to paycheck to paycheck to keep up with the costs of my RX meds, keep my chidren in a decent scool and just make ends meet day after day after day.
If I hear one more remark that Obama is a Socialist, Muslim or terrorist, I'll puke. He is truly deserving to be our President and did not sugar coat anything that government is NOT giving "us free-loaders" as the "other side" likes to call us but the break we deserve. He said it is not going to be easy and we have a long way to go to undo the mess of the last 8 years. God Bless America and God Bless Barack Hussein Obama-A 21st Century innovator and thinker that will not only steer us out of a financial crisis but an environmental crisis as well with his common sense Green Energy approach that has been delayed by the greedy big oil barons/cartels for far too long. There is NOT one thing this man says that I disagree with. I want change, hope, peace and a clean planet for my children to inherit. Obama's vsion is MY vision of what our country AND world could be like if people put aside their anger, greed, hate and me, me, me, mentality once and for all!!!
Go Obama as your message is one of unity and hope that together, Americans can indeed do ANYTHING if we're willing to work at it!!!
Obama/Biden 08

Posted by: atomheartmother1 | Oct 30, 2008 11:50:02 PM

I really enjoyed the Obama-mercial. I thought that it touched on so many issues that The United States of America is facing during tough times. Senator Obama is a breath of fresh air and gives people hope.........you can't help getting caught up in the sense that he will make things better. Hope is a beautiful thing!!! He is one person, he can not fix all the damage from the last eight years. It will take all of us.........but at least he makes the hard working AMERICAN people a top priority. Yes he is a politician and yes he is wealthy......but he doesnt forget where he came from or who he is and that is a exactly who the american people need right now to lead this country. We can not forget who we are and we come from. We are The United States of American and we are Americans........something that I know that I have been taught to respect and be proud of.

Posted by: Leighann | Oct 30, 2008 11:38:35 AM

Wasn't Ben Franklin the idiot that flew a kite in a storm?
When the people find out they can vote themselves money... They themselves will no longer be slaves to the Republic.
Duh!
Is that the END?... or the beginning of the Republic eh'em ...for which WE the people stand?
Go fly a kite.

Posted by: Centaurian | Oct 30, 2008 6:26:03 AM

I have been trying to understand what the McCain supporters see in their candidate, as well as their criticisms against Obama. But 95 percent of it is just parroting of the gossipy, tabloidy stuff about Rev. Wright, Ayers, etc. being peddled by the McCain campaign. The Republicans commenting here don't even seem to understand their own candidate's tax plan, much less Obama's. And as McCain's time runs out, his supporters just seem to become a little more unhinged, a little uglier, a little more desperate-sounding. McCain's time has passed, a long time ago actually, with the Cold War. We need a 21st century leader to deal with our 21st century problems, and America knows it. I only hope the Republicans will be able to put away their hate, and get with the new program after Obama wins easily on November 4th. We will all need to work together to rehabilitate the economy, begin healing the environment, and to proactively improve our image around the world so that 9/11 never happens again.

Posted by: Mark | Oct 30, 2008 2:04:27 AM

Molly, Can you please expound oh how "Bush has kept you safe"? I was not aware that I had "anything" to thank him for.

Posted by: Nevertheless | Oct 29, 2008 10:30:44 PM

Yes that horrible Reagan trickle down economics. After all, under the glorious Jimmy Carter years of 20% interest rates and 10% unemployment rates, the knowledge of foreign countries that the U.S. president didn't have the guts to stand up to any of them, thus allowing them to kidnap americans and thumb their noses at us. Elect Obama for a rerun of Carter. As for the race card, the only camp to bring up the race card is Obama/Biden and the Democratic party. Can someone explain to me how 95% of blacks voting for Obama is not racist, but if 95% of whites would vote for McCain I am sure that the MSM and democrats would be screaming racial hatred is what made these "white folks", Obama's words, vote this way.

Posted by: DE | Oct 29, 2008 9:37:20 PM

This country was a 200 year experiment in a failed philosophy of liberty and freedom and based on false idealism that was documented in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Barack understands that and will finally move all of us who live here foward on a truely equal basis into the a glorius future. He has been a "sleeper" who emerged on the world stage in 2004 as the true candidate and will finally be in control. I look forward to working with him and his new armies of believers to fix our constitution and laws to put us in our rightful place in the world.

Posted by: Ben | Oct 29, 2008 6:43:33 PM

Obama will repeal the very tax breaks for the rich that McCain once fought. If you make over $200,000 as an individual or $250,000 as a family, your taxes go up 4%.

So, an individual will pay $8,000 more. Is that going to break their bank? No.

Plus, once this economy gets back to where it was the last time the Democrats ran the White House, people in the wealthiest brackets will more than make up for that $8K in increased property values, stock portfolios, etc.

The McCain tax argument is bull, and America sees it.

Posted by: Greenpointguy | Oct 29, 2008 6:42:39 PM

What will you Obamabots do when Obama loses????? Polls are closing and we PUMA patriots stacked the cards in the polls...every Puma polled said they would vote for Obama...just to skew the polls......Acorn can stuff the box with bogus votes...but Puma can can beat Obama legally!! GO PUMA!!!!!!

Posted by: mfmros | Oct 29, 2008 6:31:46 PM

Look folks. Regardless of who gets in, if you don't think that we all will eventually be paying higher taxes, you're fooling yourselves. The president, whoever he is, is going to have to raise taxes and cut spending to reduce this outrageous deficit.

Posted by: Patricia | Oct 29, 2008 6:09:07 PM

I worry about the pendulum effect. In about eight years or so, when the economy is out of danger and America has world respect and self-respect, will we elect another trickle-down Reagan-bush style Republican to put us right back in the toilet?

Posted by: Helen | Oct 29, 2008 6:02:46 PM

I would be happy to pay the same tax rate as the wealthy as long as I receive the same pay rate as they do and the same "bonuses" and "golden parachutes" as they do. Would you like to pay the workers in fast food restaurants and discount stores and other jobs $100+ an hour rather than the current minimum wage? I don't think so! Like the show "Wife Swap" the wealthy should try swapping places with a lower middle class family and see what it's like to struggle.

Posted by: Sue M | Oct 29, 2008 5:42:39 PM

I am so looking forward for tonight's infomercial because Obama is the smartest candidate. All republicans are just talking out their ears because they know it's over for McCain. Shame on you any Hillary supporters for voting Palin. What's wrong with you?

Posted by: gloria | Oct 29, 2008 5:11:26 PM

does anyone have some DECENCY any more why can't you folks just give it up to OBAMA AND BIDEN this time around for making you RACIST people SUFFER that this nation is finally getting a REAL MAN in office. Everybody will watch this 30minute infomercial tonight even YOU!Whatever OBAMA has said someone has paid attention to it because he WINNING all over the place and WILL win this election and RESPECT when he is sitting in the WHITE house.

Posted by: elisha | Oct 29, 2008 4:59:33 PM

I've seen enough, I'm voting McCain/Palin. Obama can thank Joe Bidin for this one woman's vote. If ever a chance this guy sits in the oval office as my president, I'll send my vote elsewhere, thank you very much. As if my Ohio vote will even count at this point with the amount of voter fraud expected in Ohio. Makes me wonder if the presidency of the United States of America can be bought for the right price. If so, Obama has this job he's clearly not qualified for in the bag, bought and paid for.

Posted by: kelly from ohio | Oct 29, 2008 4:55:52 PM

IF Obama gets in, I guarantee if you are middle class your taxes will be going up.

Posted by: chattyway | Oct 29, 2008 4:54:05 PM

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